Home gardening making a comeback, but indoors

There was a time in Bengaluru when every house had a garden in the backyard or the front. For those who didn’t have the luxury of space, balconies were a mini-garden.

Those days are long gone, thanks to the explosion of construction since the 1990s.

A few people are now trying to bring the green back to the city by encouraging home gardening.

Anne Rakesh of HappyKnots has turned every corner of her home into a mini-garden with indoor plants. She calls it an ‘urban jungle’.

“I always grew up with a big backyard garden, but once my husband and I moved into an apartment, we didn’t have the place for any of that. A friend inspired me to buy house plants and bring out the gardener in me,” she says.

Taking care of indoor plants is no joke. You must find out which about the sunlight and water requirements of each plant.

Anne recommends ‘hydro plants’ like the money plant to start with. “It’s best to source the plant from someone you already know instead of buying from a store. That way it has a better survival rate,” she says.

Anne has about 60 plants in every room of her house and hopes to add more.

“We’ve felt a massive change in the environment since we started this project. The house is cooler and the air feels fresher. It’s also wonderful to walk into a green home; it’s therapeutic,” she says.

Photographer Divya Shirodkar has also made the best of the space she has at home.

“I like to come back home and feel lively. When I moved to a new house, I took advantage of the balcony and the good light streaming in. I started getting indoor plants and added a dash of green to every corner,” she says.

It has been about three months since Divya started experimenting. She began with 15 types of plants, most of which she had to replace.

“The soil wasn’t good or had pests that ruined the plant. I watched YouTube and Instagram for references and how to take care of the plants,” she says.

Her goal is to have at least 150 plants by December.
“It’s not too hard to take care of a home garden as long as you are willing. Take it out into the sun once in a while and water it as required. It could also make a good return gift—a good way to encourage others to start their own mini-gardens,” she says.

Tips and tricks

• Plants require different types of soil. Research and find out which works best, and plant accordingly.
• Loosen the soil around the plant so that water and nutrients can be absorbed quickly.
• Plants require sun but not too much. Provide shade when the harsh sun strikes.
• Take out dead leaves and flowers and control the weeds.
• Make enough room between the plants and don’t crowd them. This will weaken and infect the plants around them.

Where to buy

It’s never too late to start your own home garden. Bengaluru has many places selling indoor plants and gardening accessories. Here are some leads:

• Lalbagh Botanical Garden
• In and around Rajarajeshwari Nagar
• Madeena Nursery, Varthur (9986808319)
• Treemendous.In, Orion Mall (9945054006)
• Unearth, Yeshwantpur (9742352882)
• Lakshmi Singh Nursery, Whitefield and Hoskote Road
• www.nurserylive.com